Folding table



oct. 18, H H ROOT FOLDING TABLE Fild Oct. 8, 1927 V a 33. k? *1 i ,.,,,m2 ii? t A\\\\\ Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.IHUBER H. ROOT, OF MEDINA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, OFMEDINA,

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO FOLDING TABLE Application filed October 8,1927.

Myinvention relates to folding tables and in particular to card tableswhich as usually made comprise a square or rectangular top with a hingedleg at each of the four corners that may be folded up against theunderside of the top when the table is not to be used or opened out tosupport the table in use. The object of the invention, generally stated,is to provide a table having features of construction which willcontribute to diminished cost of manufacture and which will render thetable as a finished article-better fitted for Fig. 8 is a detail view inperspective of the molded rubber corner.

The tabletop, 10, includes a light, rectangular frame of strips, 11, ofwood, the

1 strips lapping over one another at each corner, and thus presenting ateach corner a -joint which if exposed does not present a 'the corner anda web, 14, of triangular shape which extends between the wings, 13, atthe top and laps over the table top at the corner. The rubber is neithersoft nor hard. but of a consistency which will make the corner piece anelement of strength or reenforcement at the table corner, and yet serveas a yielding striking Serial No. 224,954.v

or buffer surface that will cushion knocks or blows received bythe'table at the'corner a-ndadministered by the table toarticles offurniture or other'objects so as to prevent scratching or other injuryfrom the 001-:

lisions or contacts which are bound to occur in the handling ormanipulation ofthetable.

When the table is folded up-and stoodon edge on the floor the rubberwill 'bein contact with the floor surface and result "in sufficientfriction to prevent the table slipping on the floor and falling, and, ofcourse, the contact of the rubber with the floor will 'preventscratching or inju'ryto the floor surface,

these considerations being of particular im- 1 portance in view of theuse of hard wood floors. Contact of the table edge with the floor whenplaced or leaned against a wall will occur only at the two cornersnextthe floor, the intermediate portion of the wood" strip being keptspaced above the floor.

The corner blocks made of rubber'bes'ides other advantages over metalused- 'atthe corners, possess the advantage that there are no sharpedges or corners which'are un-g avoidable with metal apt to catchinto ortear the clothing.

Each corner blockor protector can'be secured in place by brads or smallnails, 15, driven through each wing, 13,-two of which ll suflice.

. The table legs, as usual, are: each .asimple straight stick, 16, ofwood pivoted '[at each corner inside the frame sides, 11. Each leg, 16,has near its end a horizontal hole, 17, by which it is pivotally mountedupon a horizontal rod, l8, which at one end enters a horizontal hole,19, in a frame side, 11, and at the other end enters a hole in a rightangle bracket plate, 20, secured as by screws to'the inner side of theadjacentframe side, 11.

Between the side of the leg, 16, and the frame side, 11, which has'thepivot hole, 19, is a yieldable elastic take-up and pressure-producingdevice which preferably is a spring,

and in particular a coil spring, 21, placed around the portion of therod, 18, between the leg and the frame side, the thrust ofthe spring:against theleg tendingv to movethe leg towards thebracket, 20, and alsoto move 1.;

the rod, 18, endwise toward said bracket by the provision of a shoulder,22, on the rod, 18, on the side of the leg opposite that engaged by thespring, 21. To limit the endwise movement of the rod, 18, towards thebracket, 20, the rod, 18, has a shoulder, 23, that engages the car, 2 1,at one end of an obliquely extending b ace bar, 25, whose other end ispivoted to the leg, 16. lhe provision of the shoulder, 23, provides apintle, 26, which enters the pivot hole in the bracket, 20, which issufficiently short so that endwise movement of the rod, 18, against thepressure of the spring, 21, will permit disengagement of the pintle fromthe bracket, 20, and thus the ready removal. of the leg from the table,should that be desired, for the purpose of replacement or repair.

And the original manufacture or construction of the table is simplifiedand cheapened by reason of the possibility of endwise movement of therod, 18, because all of the cooperating parts upon the table and legsmay be applied thereto before they are brought together and theirassembla e involves merely thrusting the pintle that enters the hole,19, into the latter compressing the spring, 21, sufficiently to clearthe bracket, 20, by the pintle, 26, to place the latter in alignmentwith the pivot hole in the bracket, 20, and then allowing the rod, 18,to move endwlse to place the pintle, 26, in the bracket hole.

Inasmuch as the spring, whether a coil spring, 21, or a flat spring, isan automatically compensating device that takes care of wear which isbound to occur from the frequent swinging of the table legs on theirpivots 1t will be seen that at all times sufiicient pressure will beexerted against the leg to keep it tight and snug and prevent lostmotion and that looseness of parts which makes the table become ricketyand endangers its stability.

It will be observed that the spring besides the other advantages pointedout renders it unnecessary to use any rivet-s or nuts to hold the partsassembled, which is an advantage not only in dispensing with such parts,and thereby saving the cost, but, is also'of ad vantage in makingunnecessary the use of tools inassembling the legs and table top, and inthe replacement of a leg by a new one.

The diagonal or oblique brace, 25, which extends from the bracket, 20,to the leg with great rigidity and firmness when opened out. To latchthe leg in its opened out position,

a latch device, 28, of familiar form is employed.

I claim:

1. A table comprising a top that includes frame bars, independent legpivoting means comprising a rod passing through a hole in each leg andsupportedat opposite ends by the frame bars so as to be endwise movable,

and an elastic member interposed between the leg and an adjacent framebar tending to press the leg away from such frame bar.

2. A table comprising a top that includes frame bars, leg pivoting meanscomprising a rod passing through a hole in the leg and supported atopposite ends by the frame bars so as to be endwise movable, an elasticmember interposed between the leg and an adjacent frame bar tending topress the leg away from such frame bar, and an obliquely extending bracereaching from said leg to the end of said rod remote from the le 3. Atable comprising a top and independently folding legs, means pivotingeach leg to the top including an endwise movable rod that passes througha hole in the leg and which at opposite sides of the leg has a pivotalconnection with the top and an elastic member situated adjacent one ofsuch pivotal connections to exert pressure upon each leg and a surfaceon the top, in the direction of the pivotal axis of the leg.

l. A table comprising a top that includes a frame bar at the edge of thetop, said bar having a horizontal perforation, a bracket spaced awayfrom said bar situated beneath the top and having a perforation aliningwith that in said bar, a rod extending between said bar and said.bracket with its ends engaging said perforations and movable axiallytherein, a leg having a hole through which said rod passes for pivotingthe leg thereto, an elastic member interposed between one side of theleg and said bar, the leg being movable along the rod towards said barand means to limit movement of the legs along the bar in the oppositedirection.

5. A table comprising a top that includes a frame bar at the edge of thetop, said bar having a horizontal perforation, a bracket spaced awayfrom said bar situated beneath the top and having a perforation aliningwith that in said bar, a rod extending between said bar and said bracketwith its ends engaging said perforations and movable axially therein, aleg having a hole through which said rod passes for pivoting the legthereto, an elastic member interposed between oneside of the leg andsaid bar, the

leg being movable along the rod towards said ends engaging saidperforations and movable axially therein, a leg having a hole throughwhich said rod passes for pivoting the leg, and a molded rubber cornercomprising integral wings at right angles which extend over the outersurfaces of the frame bar to close the perforation therein.

7 A table comprising a top that includes a frame bar at the edge of thetop, said bar having a horizontal perforation, a bracket spaced awayfrom said bar situated beneath the top and having a perforation aligningwith that in said bar, a rod extending between said bar and said bracketwith its ends engaging said perforation and movable axially therein, aleg having a hole through which said rod passes for pivoting the legthereto, a molded rubber corner comprising integral Wings at rightangles, one of which extends over and closes the perforation in theframe bar and an elastic member interposed between one side of the legand said bar and urging the leg away from said bar.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HUBER H. ROOT.

